Donatella Versace on Prince's fashion legacy

Donatella Versace paid tribute to Prince at her latest menswear show as she was so in awe of him.

The Italian fashion designer counted the late American musician as one of her "closest friends" and chose to honour him during the Versace Spring/Summer 2017 menswear presentation at Milan Fashion Week on Saturday (18Jun16). The runway show was accompanied by a soundtrack of never-before-heard songs written and recorded as a gift to Donatella from the Purple Rain singer, who died from a fentanyl overdose in April this year (16), at the age of 57.

The show featured a range of sportswear inspired looks, including silk knits, shorts and parkas in muted brown tones and forest greens, but there were also nods to Prince's signature style throughout the line. A clutch of male and female models emerged dressed in his hallmark jabot, while Donatella took her final bow in a purple suit with flared trousers and matching platforms as a tribute.

For Donatella, 61, Prince's sartorial expression epitomised what it means to be a rule breaker.

"I love men who can dress beyond rules and codes," she told Billboard.com. "Prince set his own rules and did what he wanted - he wore high heels, showed his body, chose strong colour, did whatever pleased him. He loved to play with fashion, to provoke and shock. I was in awe of him, always."

She believes Prince will have a lasting influence on fashion, particularly in regards to menswear, as the singer showed men that they could use clothing to express themselves or make a statement.

Donatella also shared the poignant reason why she chose to end the runway show with one of her beloved Prince songs.

"Fashion shows have their own rhythm and pacing. The music has to be very specific, and we always work hard on the order so that there is the right emotion or feeling at the right time. I knew that I wanted to finish on one of my favourite Prince songs, The Future, because I believe in never looking back," she explained.